The Batangas sortie of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos to distribute P200,000 in subsidy, or ayuda, to each barangay has come under heavy fire from Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste, who described the rollout as selective.

Leviste filed a House resolution on Friday urging the Office of the President to investigate alleged discrimination in the implementation of the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang,” “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang,” and other cash subsidy programs.

Leviste said he received reports that at least 84 barangays in his district were not invited to the distribution of the P200,000 conducted by President Marcos and the other officials.

The solon said the slight stemmed from a supposed “tampo” (resentment) Batangas Governor Santos-Recto felt for specific barangay officials.

One barangay chairman was told by the Batangas Liga ng mga Barangay president that they were not included because the governor was displeased with them.

“These politicians really dare to obstruct subsidy distribution programs that don’t even come from their own wallets, especially since it was President Marcos who promised that every barangay would benefit,” Leviste said.

Aside from the two programs cited, Leviste also questioned the distribution of rice sacks to only 1,000 beneficiaries in Batangas.

Leviste echoed the sentiment of fellow congressmen who called for lowering taxes rather than stepping up government assistance programs to stem the effects of the fuel crisis.

‘Commissioners’ invade Batangas

In the resolution, Leviste mentioned middlemen who approached local government units, promising to secure access to the Local Government Support Fund in exchange for a 25-percent commission.

Leviste said what happened in his district suggested there could be widespread corruption in the allocation of public funds nationwide.

“Surely, President Marcos does not know this. He is the one being put in a bad light because he promised that every barangay would benefit, and that promise is not being fulfilled today,” Leviste said.

The lawmaker said the concern about the uneven distribution of subsidies was relayed to Malacañang, and he was told the funds for the excluded barangays will be released later.

“I respectfully call on President Marcos to release today the P200,000 for the barangays that were not invited and to investigate the distribution of aid led by Executive Secretary Recto,” Leviste added.

During his visit to Batangas, Marcos said the success of government programs depended on strong cooperation between the national government and LGUs, noting that additional funding will be provided to expand their reach.

Progress from working together

“The success and failure of these programs depend on how well we work together — the unity between the national government and local governments. If we do our jobs well, the people will see the results,” he said.

During the event, each beneficiary was supposed to receive 10 kilograms of rice in six distribution cycles in the year, aimed at easing the impact of rising food prices while strengthening national food security and supporting local agriculture.

The rice distribution program is expected to benefit over 235,000 Batangueños.

Marcos also confirmed the turnover of P200,000 in assistance to each of the 1,078 barangays in Batangas through the Local Government Support Fund.

Recto said the distribution of government assistance was part of a nationwide program and not limited to Batangas alone.

Leviste lamented that instead of distributing funds under a formula like the National Tax Allotment, officials get to decide who receives how much and when.

“Even if everyone eventually receives aid, some are prioritized and others get more. That is why the government should disclose how much each municipality, city, and barangay receives under this program to ensure there is no corruption,” Leviste said.